According to the Forest Department, the six tons of rough-sawn teak timbers, owned by Myanmar businessmen, were confiscated on Saturday by a combined team of police and forest departmental officials when they stopped and searched a six-wheeled truck loaded with the timber bound for Taikkyi from Tharyawaddy.

However, the driver and the co-driver fled the scene.

Police have opened a case against them and investigation is underway.

Myanmar authorities have been making concerted efforts to clamp down on illegal timber trade.

In late January, Myanmar forest authorities also seized 63 tons of illegally harvested timbers from a forest reserve, Phyukon, in southern Bago region where illegal logging often occurs although the authorities outlawed all logging operation in Bago Yoma mountain range for a 10-year period starting from 2016.

In last December last year, some illegal teak logs, laden by 16 boats, were also seized by local authorities in Singu township, Mandalay region when a regular search operation was conducted along the Ayeyawaddy River.